Blood Pack
by Blayze Iskillion Firestorm
Summary: Random idea but oh, well^_^. This is a weird vampire thing and I guess at least 2 of the Zoids characters will be coming in soon. Will be R for later chapters. For Chiru!
1. Meet Storm

A/N- Welcome to one of my more insane ideas. For anyone that read my other stories (Trust, Shadow, Bizarre Twists of the Plot) and didn't like them if you read this, you'll see I've improved. Maybe not on grammar but I'll leave that to my editor ^_^ I'm a lazy bum. Tee-hee! Anyway, please, if you have the time would you Review? It would be very much appreciated!  
  
The gripping darkness of night finally fell around a young woman of about 20 walking an invisible path that not many could follow these days. Vampires marked this path. Only vampires could follow it.  
  
It led to a club called Nightsong and a lot of vampires came there for.entertainment. It was so big a facility though that some thought this building was a place for the government. The lone traveler knew the truth. It *was* an actual complex for the government, a training center if you will. To train a special few to fight slayers. She was one of those few.  
  
The wind carrying signs of a storm struggled to pull her night black hair out of its braid as she walked briskly down the "road". The sparse plants that lived along the sides were few. Too much blood had been spilled on this ground for much to grow so that only the hardiest of plants could develop. To many feedings and massacres of humans had occurred here so that the land was forever altered, never to be lush again. The souls of the many victims howled here among the broken, dead trees, their cries echoing. Vampires reveled in the sound of their sufferers' deaths and to them it was a song as sweet as any lullaby.  
  
Averting her eyes to the horizon, she saw a shack loom into view. The Nightsong to humans would always be a shack and they could not see it as anything else. But to a Vampire it was a safe-haven they could escape to as soon as they looked upon the building. The marks on the front could only be seen by their race like many of their other buildings. Not even slayers could perceive that any Vampire was hiding inside it. Not even the best.  
  
Walking to the wall she put her hand on a hidden panel and it read her heat signature, identifying her as Vampire it unlocked a concealed door that was disguised to look like part of the wall. Barely conceivable, the woman looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her and then, quick as an unseen shadow, slipped in.  
  
Neon lights flooded her vision along with many dancing bodies that moved to the beat of booming techno music. The techno was so loud that it flooded her ears and not only vibrated the floor beneath her booted feet but pulsed on her insides, rattling her ribs and making her heart pound fast. Chancing a look at the bar, she fought down an urge to get a drink and instead went up a flight of metal stairs to the second level where there would most likely be a table she could sit alone at. Indeed, her ice blue eyes spied one and she heavily sat down in the chair and crossed her legs underneath the table and placed her hands leisurely behind her head, putting on an air of gentle detachment. Her half closed eyes drifted towards the dancing masses and her lip curled into a barely contained sneer.  
  
Unlike her, the ones below were not of pureblood and were considered less than dirt almost but not obviously. They were not treated as slaves but were left alone. Unfortunately, they made up more than half the population and purebloods were what the vampires needed in their secretive, everlasting war against the vampire slayers. Not many of the half bloods knew it but they were truly lower in their society even though they out- numbered the purebloods 10 to 1. Purebloods not only possessed the regular Vampire powers, but also attained special individual ones that manifested itself by their one-hundredth year while only half-breeds possessed only the normal ones.  
  
Sensing something that jerked her out of her thoughts, she glanced to her right, and an opening appeared in the numerous, dancing assemblage and she caught glimpse of a tall male and then he was gone in the space of a millisecond. Again, she sensed something after a few more minutes, the same sense that would tell her that someone was watching her. Quickly, she stood up and turned to look behind and again she saw the man.  
  
She yelled to her "stalker", " Stop shitting me, you mother fucker! I'm in no mood for games!"  
  
A strong, firm hand was placed on her thin yet muscular shoulder and she swiftly turned around. A tall Arab greeted her with a cool expression on his face, " Now that wasn't very polite, Storm."  
  
" That's as polite as I'll ever be with the likes of you, Mikar." Storm said with a hiss through clenched teeth as she sat back down in her chair and again relaxed but was also keeping a close eye on him as he pulled a chair up beside her.  
  
His thin lips pulled back in a smile that revealed white teeth that sharply contrasted with his deeply tanned skin. Gently arranging his immaculately white robes around him, he acted passive, like he was softly berating a child, " Maybe I shall, if you would allow me, teach you some manners." Then he startlingly laughed a dry laugh as parched as the lands of his home in the desert. " But I would be more successful teaching a snake not to bite!"  
  
With deep and obvious distaste, she glared at him and venomously murmured as she got up, " I have to be going, Mikar. Or do you not know? We have a new student that is to join the Blood Pack tonight."  
  
Mikar nodded solemnly, " Yes. I am aware of this. I will teach him like I did you."  
  
Putting a piece of stray coal black hair behind her ear, she snorted loudly, " The only thing you taught me was how to fail the Blood Pack, not help it."  
  
His amber eyes narrowed upon her, becoming as cold as stone yet hers were colder still. " Then why is it that you have not learned to control your power? Only an amateur like yourself."  
  
She held up a hand to silence him, "I have learned it well enough to gut you right here, right now but the leader would not be pleased so I will withhold my actions for now but remember, I am your superior. It would be wise of you to hold you tongue for it seems the student has surpassed the master. I will see you again, Mikar. I will see you again." With extreme repulsion and hate, she spat on the metal floor and it hissed as the saliva turned into acid. With a quick turn, she was walking off, down the stairs, through the dancers, to a metal door labeled 'Personnel Only'. 


	2. Meet Irvine, Chiru, Raven, Leader

Chapter 2  
  
The door, when opened, held 4 flights of stairs going down far below the dance club, the noise not reaching even halfway to the antiestablishment. When she had first started in the Blood Pack the stairs had been torture to her legs being sore from the previous day of work. But, the evening when you had to go back up was torture. The metal leeches would suck her remaining energy from the day of intense work to get her in tip- top shape to fight the slayers. The exhaustion had once been to much and she remembered that she had even passed out and to her extreme dislike, Mikar had carried her back up and he had been smug about it ever since. But now, the once tiring enemy was no more and she rather enjoyed going down them but she could not say that she liked going back up them but at least it was accomplishable without breaking a sweat.  
  
Stepping down the last rung, she walked into the headquarters. The room was actually carved out of the black stone, obsidian which was becoming rare. Many rocks were rare nowadays. Jewels were more valuable then they were around the 2220's and gold was very rare indeed. Many could not even afford gravel for their driveways now and just let it be dirt because the price to pay for gravel was high. Stone was precious because when wood was used up, or at least the wood available for cutting down, rocks now had to be used to build houses and with the rapid increase in population everybody needed a home and so the less stone was there to use.  
  
There was an electrical heating system and running water that ran through pipes downwards. The first room you walked into was the lounge part of the facility so there were chairs and a TV, even several bookcases brimming with books from past years to the current one. The large lounge area had three tunnels leading out of it when you walked in facing forward. The farthest to the left led to the training area, the middle led to the dorm rooms where the Blood Pack evidently slept, and the farthest to the right led to the kitchen. She immediately walked to the training area where they usually would welcome a new member and saw that the rest of the group (minus Mikar) had been waiting for her to arrive. She was second-in-command and therefore some things could not happen without her and the leader.  
  
Storm nodded at the assembly of comrades and took her seat next to a girl with hair just as black as her own dressed in black pants and a tank top. The girl's name was Chiru and she had eyes for another of the Blood Pack named Raven (A/N- Yes *the* Raven from the show ^_^. Sorry for this next part for those Raven fans out there!) A pale skinned bastard, Storm thought, but was a damned good fighter and a useful ally. Chiru had been in the Blood Pack a few years before her and had been one of the few of the group that hadn't been a snobby asshole, exploiting the fact that they were older than her or more experienced.  
  
She inwardly smirked at them as she remembered that in a course of a year, she had risen through the ranks all the way to second-in- command. Chiru, unfortunately, had been caused to go down a rank because of this but they treated each other as equals and were good friends. Chiru as far as she could see, was the only person that she could trust since the rest of the Blood Pack did not look at her with much approval. You could hear it in their whispers or in their sidelong glances that they stole when they thought that her back was turned to them. But, everyone except for Chiru, were nothing but fellow fighters against the Slayers, their eternal enemies.  
  
Everyone stood as they heard their leader come in. His name was Icestone and was well respected. A great leader, he had lead them through every raid and killing and was very fair in his decisions, congratulating each and every one of them for a job well-done or lashing out at them with a look or words if they blundered, but was always fair and listened to everyone's opinions before making a decision. He was also a great warrior, enemies fearing him for the worst of their kind. No one went up against him without being beaten whether in death or getting his or her faces shoved down into the ground in a matter of speaking.  
  
Behind him, the practically (A/N- I don't know how tall he really is but he's damned tall on the show.) 7 foot tall new member was dressed in a black outfit complete with a black cape that flowed behind him with a red-orange headband holding his messy brown hair out of his face and an eye patch over his left eye. *Oh great.* She thought cynically and blinked, a little surprised, *A handicapped member. Just as long as I don't have to train him. Please don't make me train him.*  
  
The leader's gaze held them all in his eyesight to watch for any disapproval. Seeing Storm blink irregularly he smiled inside. His second-in- command did not seem to have the same opinion of the man, being as judgmental as she usually was. In an eye blink he made his decision. In a voice that challenged anybody to speak up, he told them of their new comrade, " Everyone meet Irvine. Irvine, meet my second-in-command, Storm Nightshadow." He meticulously watched Storm as she curtly nodded in the recruits' direction but he noticed that she looked at his "missing" eye. " Storm Nightshadow, Raven Obscura, and Chiru Starstrike, I would like you to take the task of training Irvine. Remember, he is of Trueblood. I expect him to be treated with as much respect as you would give a veteran of the Blood Pack."  
  
The three bowed to him and he knew he had made a good choice. He had seen how Chiru had been looking upon Raven and how Storm seemed to work well with the other two. It was a good combination with Chiru's experience, Raven's ferocity and fighting skills, and Storm's native intelligence, stamina, and drive, Irvine would have good teachers. He waved his hand and smiled upon them all, " You are dismissed. Oh, and Arnon, I do not want another failure, do you understand?"  
  
Arnon, a vampire of 120, young by their races' standards, paled but nodded a single nod and replied, " Yes, Leader. I will not fail you again. A momentary lapse of judgment.I truly apologize."  
  
Icestone laid a hand on the young one's shoulder and smiled, whispering, " Do not sulk over this, Arnon. You are a very good asset to the Blood Pack. You just have to trust your instincts more. Now, go and get yourself a drink and ponder on what you could have done to do better." He slipped a money piece into the young males pocket and walked to Storm as she was striding out with Raven, Chiru, and Irvine. " Storm, may I speak to you? Alone." He said to the other three. " Please wait outside the cavern."  
  
Chiru looked worriedly at Storm but said to the imposing figure, " Alright, My Lord. We shall." And they walked out.  
  
Storm turned to him once they were gone, question in her eyes. He held up a hand to silence her inquiry that he could see bubbling on her lips. " You do not trust my decision on this man?"  
  
"I do, Sir. But he's handicapped. Wouldn't he just get in the way?"  
  
He chuckled deeply, but she was even more confused as why he would see this amusing. " I would think that you would know that looks can be deceiving by now. He is not blind in that eye. Quite the contrary. You will see what I mean in time. Now, go and join your comrades and *please* be back before sunset." He patted her on the back and walked off into the shadows and she instinctively knew he had disappeared to wherever he went when he did that.  
  
Walking out of the Training Area, she met up with the trio. Chiru looked at her questioningly, perhaps a little freful at what might have happened in there. Storm shook her head at her friend, telling her it was all right while noticing Irvine (What a strange name.) was staring at her. Raven seemed to be in his own little world like he usually was. He was aloof and arrogant and liked to be left alone.  
  
"Well, it's traditional not to train the new guy's brains out on the first night so how about we go get something to eat?" She said while lifting the corners of her lips in a barely conceivable smile.  
  
Chiru smiled widely, her fangs glinted in the light while her eyes gleamed unusually, " Yeah, sounds like a great idea." Irvine nodded and Raven walked down the tunnel and she imagined that he was going to his quarters.  
  
"Raven! Where are you going?" Chiru asked him as he walked off. "Why don't you hang around with us?"  
  
Raven turned halfway down the hall, the darkness making his face seem gaunt and wicked, "I hate being crowded." Then he walked off haughtily, slinking off.  
  
" All right.I guess he's not hungry. Lets go." Storm said while looking down the shady tunnel, shaking her head at him. (This is going to be horrible to work with him." She started to walk off but stopped and turned to Irvine, addressing him," You can talk you know." And then led them to the common room and up the stairs.  
  
By the time they reached the last rung, she was surprised that Irvine was not panting but breathing easily as if it had been nothing. Noticing her staring at him, he flashed her a grin, obviously becoming more relaxed. Spreading his arms in a shrug, he asked, "What?"  
  
"Nothing." She said with a wave of her hand. "Lets continue."  
  
As they made their way through the crowd, Chiru's and Storm's gazes looked upon the other passing Blood Pack members and shared reticent, fleeting looks, acknowledging each other's presences. They all shared a bond that could not be broken and seemed to always know where and when another of their group was, brothers and sisters sharing the same goal and purpose.  
  
The three walked though the door and into the fresh night air. Sharing a glance with Chiru, silently telling her that she could sense a storm coming and that they would have to come back soon. Storm knew, having explored this area from the air, thoroughly memorizing the region, in the form of her favorite change, the blue dragon, that a village of humans laid a little to the south of their location. Pointing to where their destination lay, she led them to the measly town.  
  
Chiru, sharing a look with the two, gently eased the unlocked door of a nearby house open and (Fools. Not even an attempt at locking the door!) walked in with the ease of a passing moon shadow.to see a human male rummaging through the refrigerator for a late night snack. The human turned to her with a look of fear in his eyes and was near to screaming when Chiru moved with unnatural speed to him and sank her fangs into his neck, instantly hushing the scream before it came to the man's lips. Unfortunately, the man's wife, wondering who was the thief raiding their refrigerator for a late night snack had come in and saw the gory display before her and screamed. Storm, also possessing abnormal speed as all other Vampires did, moved to her and quickly sank her fangs into the woman's neck before she could utter another sound.  
  
Pausing in her feeding, Storm worriedly said to Irvine quickly, " Go see if there are any more in here! Do *not* let them escape! We don't want the whole town upon us!"  
  
Irvine nodded and stalked back into he recesses of the house. Finding stairs, he figured that the wife and husband were bedded up there, diced that the children might be there as well. He didn't much mind killing full-grown humans, seeing them as worthless cattle meant to be gotten rid of but he detested killing children who had not done anything to him nor had the time to see anything in this world. He would feed tonight but would not kill. Somehow.  
  
He indeed found three children in a room across from their deceased father and mother and for some unknown reason they woke up when he walked into their room. It would've been better if they hadn't but now, he'd have to do the job he knew he had to do. The youngest two huddled against the wall but the oldest it seemed to have a better idea. He grabbed the two other and ran past Irvine in a mad dash to get out of the house. Cursing himself for his stupidity, he ran after them. As he ran into the kitchen he found Chiru and Storm had already left the house and gone outside, leaving the corpses on the kitchen floor. He rushed out in hot pursuit of the three and found Chiru and Storm were standing out there watching him to see what he would do next.  
  
Storm nodded at them as he passed her and told him coldly without a care fo the children, " Finish them. Don't let them get to another house. We want to keep this quiet." (Careless fool.)  
  
Irvine, using another power from the Vampire bloodlines, sent a wave of his energy and caught the three in an invisible net. Taking hold of the youngest he felt him crying but it was if it was muffled. With a quick jerk of his head, his fangs were in the kid's neck and he saw Storm and Chiru look at each other and than at him. Then, after he had taken the last drop of blood, he let the boy crumple to the ground.still alive.  
  
"You didn't kill him." Storm spoke with a cold indifference at him, stating a fact. "Why?"  
  
Chiru cam e to his aid, sensing his reason," He can't kill them when they haven't had the chance to live."  
  
Irvine nodded at her telling Storm that Chiru was right. Storm sighed and shok her head but gestured towards the others. "Finish it."  
  
He did and the three would live now forever as half bloods. Hopefully they would awake from unconsciousness before the sun came up and took their new given life already away. Irvine didn't exactly care past this point though just as long as he didn't have to kill them. He inwardly growled at himself for showing weakness but noticed that the other two were walking off without him and it was then when he felt the rain drop burn into his skin. Acid rain was becoming more and more common and this was going to be a storm where it was carried.  
  
"Come on! We'll run! We *don't* want to be caught in this storm!" Storm shouted to the two trailing her back to the Nightsong, which soon appeared when they increased their speed. They burst through the door just before th edeadly rain had started to pour. They made their way to the door easily since most of the crowd had going to their haunts earlier that night. It was practically empty except for a few at the bar. They stepped down the stairs tiredly.  
  
" I can't believe you didn't kill them." Storm told him with anger, but he could sense curiosity in her voice as they sat down in the chairs in the common room, warming themselves by the heater.  
  
" I have to admit it is unusual for a pureblood such as yourself to no kill even kids." Chiru truthfully added as she warmed her hands, placing them near to the source of warmth.  
  
He looked at them as he spoke, his (Intriguing.) purple-grayish eeyes hard, " As you said before, Chiru. I can't kill them when they haven't had the chance to live."  
  
Storm inwardly acknowledged his logic, forming a new, grudging respect for this man. To hide it though she found herself saying something without consciously thinking about it, " It's late. We should get some sleepf r on the morrow you will train and whished you'd never been born, Irvine. It will be painful but you'll become stronger in the end. If you decidde to quit, we will hunt you down and kill you. You've seen too much of our ways. "  
  
" I am not an idiot and I'm not weak. I'm not one to it either."  
  
" If you were an idiot, I would not even look at you. If you were one to quit, I would've killed you already. I will see you tomorrow night, Wolf Eye." She said icily, smoothly without a pause, turning and walking towards to quarters but not without giving a request to Chiru, "Chiru would you show him his room?"  
  
Without hesitation, the girl replied to her friend, " Sure. Get some rest."  
  
" Thank you." And then Storm was gone in an eye blink into the black.  
  
Making sure she was gone, Chiru got up and looked around and then sat back down in her chair next to the male. Irvine turned his gaze to her as she stared off into the darkness, thinking about who-knows-what and then she looked at him, straight in the eyes, her forest green ones boring into his, "She is.."  
  
Irvine finished for her, " A pain in the ass."  
  
Chiru's lips turned into a smile as she shook her head. "No. She's just uncomfortable with having to teach someone. Storm'll be less bitchy when she's more relaxed. Well, come on," she said kindly as she got up, "let's go and find your room."  
  
Blayze here!  
  
Hey guys! Please, I'm feeling unloved! I *need* reviews or.*sniffle* I feel really badly that I'm taking up space on ff.net.So *please* review and you would make me feel so much better and I'd be really hyper and that means more story because than I would know I was loved! g2g but I'll see you later! Oh, and sorry for how short these chapters are. All my other stories were one-shot and I'm still adjusting to making chapters! 


	3. Little bit o' training and verbal fighti...

Chapter 3  
  
Hiylo! Sorry it's been sooo long guys! I have lots to update so the next two chapters or something like that are going to be in rapid succession so, be happy!  
  
Tossing and turning in bed, Storm was unable to sleep and regrettably she slid out from under the covers and put her feet on the shockingly cold floor. There was no use staying in it when you weren't sleeping anyway. Her muscles though were still not used to walking or moving seeing as she had been in bed for two and a half hours or so. Sitting down in a chair in front of her desk, she pondered this new person she was supposed to train to be a killer while messing with her computer she had pilfered from humans a few years back.  
  
Irvine was a strange vampire, one that she had not seen the likes of before. He was an intriguing puzzle so far seemingly tough and hardened on the outside but on the in, was totally different. No other vampire she knew would've granted mercy to those children. The only ways a half blood came into existence was when a human offered the vampire massive amounts of money or gave them a free meal. Irvine gave this gift willingly and freely to them without a thought.  
  
He was different all right. He was a vampire for sure but he did not act like one, or at least not in the heat.if you could call what happened earlier a battle, not cold, hard, and ruthless, an uncaring being with a heart as cold as ice. Now this wasn't true for a lot of vampires, but for those joining the Blood Pack it was very common. Except for the healers. The healers, except for one, more often then not were kind and cared for all.  
  
Storm also wondered what his power was. Every vampire had a different one or in the case of a healer, a different strength of power since healing was rare but it came in all different levels. Some could heal only minor cuts but others. Others could heal a wound and bring you back to life when you were but an inch from it..or heal your soul. These ones were very rare indeed and the Blood Pack had two, both leaders of the healers. There were about 12 in all gathered from throughout the world on missions taken by occasional members.  
  
Since she had only been here though for a little while and, as Chiru plainly pointed out, she was standoffish, wanting to be left alone by almost all except for a few people so she did not know to many of the other's powers. Chiru's power was three ice "spells"; blizzard, blizzara, blizzaga, blizzard being the weakest and blizzaga being the strongest. Raven's power Storm wasn't so sure about plus she knew she would eventually find out. (Irvine I can find out about) she thought, staring at the computer screen. She had hacked into Mikar's private files once before and could do it again to look at anybody else's but she had decided not to make it a habit.  
  
***  
  
Smiling she leaned back in her chair. The leader had apparently changed all the passwords but she had been able to override them and now it was done. The thing wasn't the easiest of nutshells to crack, the nut seeming as if it had a metal casing around it not a shell but it wasn't impossible to break. Her eyes scanned the page reading every word rapidly, taking in every detail into her brain:  
  
Name: Irvine Sisco  
Age: 167  
Current Accomplices: Storm Nightshadow, Chiru Starstrike, Raven Obscura  
Status/Rank: New Member  
Power: Conjuring Energy Sword  
Family/Friends: None  
Past Occupation: Mercenary  
Specialties:???  
  
Hurriedly exiting out of the program after she heard a knock on her door, she got up and, looking down, noticed her state of undress usually dressing in a large, loose shirt for bed. Slipping on some loose pants on the floor, she opened the door.to be greeted with Irvine.  
  
" What is it?" Storm asked with a little bit more than a hint of grumpiness from lack of sleep.  
  
" I saw your light on." The reply came, stated very plainly that even her sleep-deprived brain could discern.  
  
" My light is on? And that's why you're here? Okay. What are you doing up?"  
  
Raising a brow, his voice becoming a little annoyed, " I couldn't sleep."  
  
" Neither could I. Come on in if you want."  
  
He shook his head whether to wake himself up or say no she couldn't tell. " No. I can't. I'll see you tomorrow, Storm." When he said her name she felt a shiver go up her spine. (Huh? What was that all about?) " Storm?"  
  
Shaken, she came back from her thoughts, " Er.What were you saying?"  
  
" Just said that you'll have to take it easy on me training tomorrow. I'll be tired."  
  
" No chance that I'll do that, Irvine."  
  
* * *  
  
" Storm, you up?" Chiru said outside the door.  
  
Opening her eyes, Storm stumbled out of bed and opened the door. " I'm up. Be there in a few minutes." She grumbled.  
  
"All right."  
  
Slipping on a black tank-top and loose blue pants, she hurried out of the room not really wanting to do anything but sleep but that was out of the question she knew. Checking the kitchen slash cafeteria for them and noticing that all the other Blood Pack members were already up she wondered how long she had been asleep usually being the first one up and about even if she had stayed up late. The gym now was the most logical place to check since it was obvious that they were not in the cafeteria. To try and get her muscles woken up and working, she ran to the gym instead of her morning Zombie Walk as she thought of it.  
  
Hearing noises, as if someone was being thrown physically around, she walked into the gym; she saw Raven and Irvine already sparring, Chiru looking for flaws in Irvine's stances and techniques until it was her turn. Turning, the girl saw Storm walk in the gym and she nodded at Irvine and gave a thumbs-up sign that only Storm caught. Storm, smiling, walked up behind the taller of the two men and tapped his shoulder. Irvine turned around without missing a beat and threw a punch that Storm blocked with the speed acquired by fighting slayers.  
  
" You'll have to work on speed definitely. Chiru says your fine sparring with Raven. Continue."  
  
And they resumed their mock fighting, Storm and Chiru both watching now, giving out suggestions and pointers to Irvine when he faltered. Storm took notice that Raven liked to come in fast, utilizing his small, lithe, yet powerful form to hit pressure points rather than bruising his opponent over and over again until he was down while Irvine was quick but certainly not lithe and liked to come in for powerful punches and kicks and occasional throws but Raven, proving quicker usually avoided them and then would use Irvine's over-committed weight to over-balance him so that he'd fall flat on his face. At these times, Storm couldn't help but giggle at him. She thought of Irvine as a serious, cocky, arrogant man and then seeing him getting pushed around by someone shorter than him. It just tickled her to no end.  
  
She decided that Raven seeing as he was a surprisingly good hand-to- hand fighter would train Irvine in that department. Not knowing what Chiru could contribute to his training yet, Storm was caught between asking her what she was good at or waiting to see. Deciding it was faster to ask her instead of having to wait, patience not being her strong suite, Storm spoke up, " Chiru, what do you want to do with him?"  
  
" I don't know, I guess I'll teach him how to handle a weapon." Chiru said.  
  
" Which one?"  
  
" I don't know yet. I'll think about it I guess."  
  
Storm sighed a little bit inwardly. Chiru was a little brash and didn't like to think things over but relied more on the spur of the moment and such. It was a trait that was a little dangerous but she usually came through. As far as Storm could tell, it might not be the best of qualities but it also wasn't a bad thing because it meant that Chiru could think on her feet.  
  
" What are you going to teach him?" Chiru asked Storm curiously.  
  
Storm stumbled as she thought about her answer, " I---have absolutely- --no idea what I'm going to teach him. Maybe spells or something like that."  
  
" Yeah, that's simple enough for him I think." She gestured at Irvine.  
  
" Now that was not very appropriate." Storm said. Chiru looked at her briefly and nodded but Storm caught a twinkle in her eye, like the woman had just had a sudden epiphany but Storm thought nothing of it.  
  
Sweaty and tired, Raven and Irvine stopped and both went to a bench, separating without a nod or anything resembling one. Storm went to the water dispenser and poured two cups of water. First going to Raven and giving it to him, he drank slowly but when Irvine got his, the water seemed to disappear in a few mere seconds. Even though they were sparring they'd have bruises and such but since they were vampires the black and blue marks would fade in a few minutes so it was no worry. Still, Chiru looked at Raven and Irvine was checked over by Storm just for anything. Sparring was a form of fake battle but you could still get hurt badly if the right techniques were put into play.  
  
Irvine would have a large bruise on his cheekbone which was already starting to puff up a little but Storm wasn't worried it would do anything else. If so, they could always get it checked over by a healer. Boredom playing on her features and upon her voice, Storm spoke, " Okay, you two seem to be fine. Irvine, I would like to see your power."  
  
Nodding wordlessly, still panting a little, he stood up and stretched out his hand, palm up. A golden glow, a growing mist gathered over his hand and then took form, growing increasingly brighter and lengthened to a "hilt" on one side of his hand and grew into a "blade" on the other side. Storm watched as he held it and then, immediately sat down, drained. An energy sword. That was the only explanation she could up with why he had gotten so pale and sickly looking after he had conjured it up. It was made purely of his own energy, and having so little from sparring/training so long with Raven he had very little to begin with. Storm had to give him credit. Staying up all day (A/N- Daytime is when they sleep so it's like night for them. Nighttime is their day. Got it?), fighting for at least, she looked at her watch, 2 and a half hours, and calling up his sword was very tiring and he had not voiced one complaint.  
  
" Alright. You can call it back." The sword instantly disappeared into thin air. He was panting and sweating bad as Storm had noticed but twice as much as before.  
  
Chiru spoke up, getting a little worried maybe, " Are you okay? I think we should let him rest Storm."  
  
" He looks fine to me." She said with a nonchalant, uncaring shrug.  
  
Startling everyone as he spoke, Raven said in a low voice, " Let him rest."  
  
Irvine shook his head and stood up. " I don't need a rest. I'm fine. What's next?"  
  
"Well," Noticing Chiru glaring at her, she faltered but snappily came back at Irvine. " We need to think about what next, alright with you? Go to your room and.do something. I don't care." Storm received a glare from Irvine now.  
  
Standing straight with his shoulders back and his arms crossed, glowering, he asked her, " What's stuck up your ass?" (A/N- I have always wanted to hear him say that ^_^) " I'm not a slave. I'll do whatever I want so don't tell me what to do."  
  
Rounding on him, angry and tired, she argued hotly, " As long as I'm second-in-command and a part of this operation of training a low-life like you, I'll tell you anything I damn please and I expect you to listen or I'll kill you right here, right now."  
  
" You know nothing about me! And I'd like to see you try!"  
  
Raven laughed, " Disgusting. They sound like they're married!" At that, he walked off. The arguing two instantly stopped and stared at his retreating back. Chiru was smiling at his sudden humor and was trying to restrain giggles. Storm glared at Irvine and he returned the favor, ice- blue eyes met purple and the tension in the air had rose another 10 notches.  
  
Chiru was still in the room, waiting for the battle of wills to blow over but seeing as it was not stopping anytime soon she decided o put a stop to it on her own. She stepped in between them and pushed Storm backwards and then shooed Irvine back too. " Okay, people stop with the glaring. It's annoying to those of us not included. Come on, kiss and make up." They both stopped and looked at her like she had grown two heads in a matter of 1 millisecond. " Then don't make up. Fine. I'm leaving. I'm hungry. Kill each other if you want." At that, the girl turned away sullenly.  
  
Storm was the first one to blink, turning away from him as he continued to watch her. " Where are you going?" He asked, not worried or anything; why would he be worried? Just curious.  
  
Not even bothering to answer, she waved her hand at him and continued to walk off into recesses of the gym. Coming to a door, she turned into it and walked in. It was an indoor pool that also had a locker room connected to it. Walking into the locker room, she got her bathing suit and changed, knowing thankfully Irvine had not followed her in or else she knew she would've tried to drown him for his insolence earlier and his arrogant nature. Walking back to the pool, the water heated, it stretched the length of the whole cavern that was about 80 feet long and 30 feet across. Storm sighed as she walked in over the steps. The water acted as a cooling balm to her temper. She also enjoyed the feeling of water running over her skin as she swam, soon thoughts of training an impossible man, of working with a morose one, and everything else left her as if the water was washing away her worries.  
  
A/N- I don't really like this part but that's okay! Sorry to leave you on a non-exciting cliffy but there will be more very soon! 


	4. Stupid Chapter and HELP I NEED IDEAS!

* * *  
  
" Hey guys, have you seen Storm anywhere? She's not been around the whole night, ever since the fight between you," She poked Irvine in the back, "and her." Chiru asked Raven and Irvine who were in the cafeteria, wolfing down any food they could find apparently having a food-eating contest that Irvine was winning.  
  
"No." Raven said with his mouth full and Chiru nodded but not without giving them a look of disgust. Running out, Chiru was going to check the last place she hadn't been to but she seriously doubted that Storm would be there.  
  
Skidding to a stop the room where the pool was; she looked for Storm since all the lights had been turned off. "Storm! Are you there!"  
  
Immediately, a cold glow appeared in the room as Storm called up light enough to fill up the cavern. She yelled back since she was on the opposite side of the pool, " Yes, I am here. What's up?" (A/N- No, they are not lesbians. Nasty minded people.)  
  
" Come here. We need to talk." And Chiru waited until Storm was in easy splashing distance and then she jumped and started splashing Storm and yelling in mock anger, " I didn't know where you were! None of us did! And you were here the whole time! You could have told me!"  
  
Shielding her face from the onslaught of water, Storm replied, " You were out of the room and I didn't want to be there in the same room with *him* for more than I had to. This place was the nearest."  
  
Chiru looked at her acutely, not splashing any more water now. " You should give him a chance. I mean, he's getting Raven to talk! Raven talking," she pointed to the left, " Is a good thing," she pointed them to the right. " And he didn't *do* anything to you did he?" Chiru shook her head, " No. He may be egotistical and shit but he's okay when he's in a good mood. He's a good learner too. I trained him earlier and he learned how to use a sword pretty quick. I mean I haven't trained him fully, but he still learned the techniques that I gave him. Earlier he was just asking for a little respect from you and that was all. Try to be a little less uptight!" And she emphasized this with another splash that got directly on Storm's face. Storm hastily spat out the pool water. It didn't taste the greatest.  
  
" Are you done lecturing me now or not?" Storm asked with a mischievous smile.  
  
Chiru growled at her in frustration and then got a face-full of water as finally Storm splashed her back. Not jumping in and getting her face wet, the water was chilling and Chiru squeaked. "Cold, cold, cold!" And then she kicked water back at her friend and the war began, forgetting the reason why she had come.  
  
* * *  
  
Sitting back in his chair, Irvine relaxed contentedly, his hunger sated from solid and liquid food (blood). His thoughts were drifting into sleep even in the uncomfortable cafeteria chair until Raven interrupted them with a, " Where's Chiru and Storm?"  
  
" I have no idea. Nor do I care." He replied with his eyes closed, having taken off his eye patch until he heard Raven getting up and then he asked, " Where are you going?" All he got in the lines of replies was an 'hmph'. He's probably going to find them, Irvine thought. Grunting as he got up, he followed his new comrade.  
  
When the arrived in the gym they heard the telltale giggles that the two were in the pool. Sharing a look, Raven led him into the room and.they found no one.  
  
* * *  
  
(Five Minutes Earlier)  
  
"Do you hear someone?" Storm asked.  
  
Nodding her head, Chiru smiled. " It sounds like Irvine and Raven. Oooh! Lets play a trick on them!"  
  
"Oookay.Like what?"  
  
Chiru swam quickly to her friend and hastily whispered her plans to her and then they separated, hiding behind rocks near the carved cavern entrance.  
  
* * *  
  
(Now)  
  
Sneaking up behind them was the easiest thing Storm had ever done and at the right moment, Chiru and herself had pushed both men into the water. Raven came up looking like a rat and Irvine came up looking like a taller, more pissed off rat.  
  
"What the f---"  
  
Storm and Chiru were both laughing so hard that they drowned out his obscenity and were both unaware of the two men in the pool taking hold of their pant legs until they were pulled into the water with them. "AAAAAAH!" The two said simultaneously. Storm came back up and glared at the two and said dangerously but Chiru detected a hint of humor in her voice. " You. Are. Going. To. Pay." Chiru grinned and dunked Raven down underwater but then was flipped and the tables were turned until she started struggling the water began to roil from air bubbles. Letting her up, Chiru gasped for air and held onto the side of the pool while Storm was glaring at Irvine as he nonchalantly took off his cape, shirt, and his eye patch although he knew Storm was glaring at him.  
  
Turning around he grinned at her obnoxiously. " Like what you see?" He said while bringing up his arms.  
  
Knowing he was referring to her glaring at him while he was bare- chested (A/N- Notice that I said earlier he took off his shirt?) she wrinkled her nose in obvious aversion and said with a snort, " I find it absolutely revolting." But, she couldn't help noticing he was well muscled and tan. (Hey! I'm a girl! I'm allowed to look at guys, aren't I!?) She thought to herself, trying to assuage her looking at him while she noticed he just smirked even larger and then flipped onto his back and floated.  
  
A/N- Hey, if you have a problem with him being tan go stick your head in the toilet! I was born tan and even in the winter I'm STILL TAN! SO WHO GIVES A CRAP IF HE'S A TAN VAMPIRE! SO BOOYAH!  
  
Chiru then screamed joyfully, " OOH! IDEA! LET'S PLAY CHICKEN!"  
  
They all turned to her and gave her strange looks until Raven said, " Uh, okay."  
  
Irvine shrugged, not caring either way and said, " Sure. Whatever you say."  
  
" Uh-uh. No way in hell am I playing that game." Said Storm.  
  
" Aw.but we need 4 people to play!" Chiru replied pitifully.  
  
Raven smirked and stepped in front of Storm as she tried to get out of the pool and said, " Yeah, you could get on Irvine's shoulders! You know you want to!"  
  
Storm shook her head, hiding a curious red tint that had crept onto her face that Raven saw barely but was careful not to show it. " I do not you, pale-skinned rat----" but she was cut off as Irvine's strong arms encircled her waist and hoisted her onto his shoulders. She was aware that Chiru and Raven were both laughing at her probable face of shock and she yelled, " IRVINE! Put me down this instant or I will cut off your head and shove it up your hairy ass!"  
  
Irvine shrugged, unbalancing her for a few seconds until he gently, but firmly put his hands on her legs to steady her. " Hmph. This better be worth it Chiru. She's heavy."  
  
" I am not and I demand you put me down now!"  
  
Chiru said in a voice that hid laughter very badly, " He's *not* going to put you down because I'm going to knock you down!" Raven let her climb onto his back but Storm caught his 'I-feel-like-a-bloody-frickin'- horse-this-is-just-great' look and she had to stifle a giggle. Making a noise in the back of her throat as Irvine stepped towards Raven slowly she didn't expect Chiru to push her off so quickly. In fact she wasn't expecting it at all and fell off immediately. It wasn't easy to stay on Irvine with him having wet skin. *Splash* and she was again in the water.  
  
All of them were laughing as she came back up and Storm had the sudden urge to kick Irvine in the balls as if it was all his fault which it was since he had to have wet skin and Chiru just had to push her off of him and damage her pride. 'Oh, damn it all!'  
  
In between giggles Chiru said in a bubbly voice filled with mirth, " Care to try again, Oh Great Storm? I am the chicken fighter master! Woohoo!"  
  
Storm shook her head briskly and quickly got out of the pool in a huff, anybody able to tell she was pissed if they looked at her back which was straight and rigid with rage. Irvine, practically pouting said, " Aw.Storm, you gonna leave me all on my lonesome with these punks? I feel.un- loved."  
  
The object of his comment turned around and glared at him and then, without her consent, her face relaxed to a barely conceivable smile as she saw his huge grin. Walking dejectedly back, she knelt down to Irvine's eye level him being lower than her since he was in the pool (duh people() and said, " Sorry, but I have some work to do. I'll catch you guys later."  
  
" Okay, catcha later, Storm," replied Irvine.  
  
" Bye!"  
  
Storm grabbed her clothes hurriedly and headed back to her room, not having any work to do. She just needed to think. Sitting at her desk in the uncomfortable chair she squirmed, trying to get her nerves to calm down but to no avail. Hastily changing her outfit and wrapping a cloak around herself, she decided that she would take a flight to quiet her adrenaline that was still pumping through her veins for no apparent reason whatsoever.  
  
Stepping out of her room she came face to face with one of the Blood Pack members. Seeing her with her "wind cloak" as everyone affectionately called it, he stepped to the side, catching her scowl at him. Walking, out of the up the stairs and through the club which was again empty, she stood outside of the building, facing upwards, the almost constant wind causing her cloak to flap behind her. Spreading her arms wide, she said one sentence that always came out of her mouth when she changed, " Blue wings spread upon the storm winds." She smiled and let the changes take hold.  
  
Jaw lengthening, human teeth disappearing and being replaced by long, dagger-like ones that could shred a man to pieces in mere seconds. Spine elongating and skin following it to cover the bone, growing into a long, whip-like tail, always with the customary pain that she had to endure to use this change. The hair growing into her head and then having her skull grow sharply angular, horns growing to replace the lost hair, eyebrows growing into eye-ridges not to mention her eyes turning almond-like and crimson, her legs lengthened and her feet grew into lizards, her clothes melting into blue scales to cover her body. And finally, muscled and three branched spines grew from her shoulders and then almost translucent skin covered the spots between. All this happened in a manner of seconds and she jumped into the air, the wings pumping up and dirt flew in all directions at the steep lunge and sudden draft of air.  
  
Withholding a roar of exhilaration from the joy of flight she flew high into the murkiness of the clouds. The ecstasy of the wind flowing freely over her scales was enough to make her drunk with happiness and she strained her wings to go faster, her muscles already screaming against her but she ignored them. Flying was a joy like no other and she did nothing to stop the assault of feelings roiling in her brain now. Unfortunately, her energy was sapped like crazy after flying so hard and changing. Being miles and miles away from the Nightsong, she decided she'd have to find somewhere to land and keep hidden. Deciding on a cave, unexplored for her yes, but there all the same with no noises emitting from it, she subtly dipped her wings and angled her head and neck downwards towards it. Landing unconscientiously, she walked in and found it was a bit cramped but it would still have to do.  
  
Lying down with her wings folded against her she laid down her neck and curled her head around to form a ball roughly. This guy, Irvine, was different all right, she thought, letting her mind wander. And she couldn't stop the unknown feelings that were invading her heart like rats. Sneaking in through holes that had somehow appeared to be mended but were actually very deep indeed, letting things in that were unwanted and yet wanted all the same, although wanted from deep within. These things were making her weak, she knew for sure and she was terrified of being just that. *Love is for the weak. Let others below you indulge in it. * And as the thought drifted across her mind she tried to sleep to ignore it. *Although.it would be nice for once.*  
  
* * *  
  
Gliding, the next night, back to the Nightsong, she was already tired and sore. Sleeping on a cave floor that was hard as hell and being changed into a dragon with equally hard scales was not very comfy. Diving down and changing as soon as she barely touched the floor, she walked through the crowded Rave club, popping a piece of gum into her mouth, and inconspicuously got to the door, opened it and closed it and went down the stairs.to then properly knock into Raven on the last stair.  
  
Smirking at her and then yelling, he said, " I found her! I think she was sleeping on the stairs again!" And then to Storm, " I thought we told you not to do that."  
  
" Hah, hah. Very funny Raven." Storm said as he offered her a hand up. "Since when have you gotten a sense of humor?" He smirked and shrugged.  
  
" Nice to see you alive! We thought a slayer got you!"  
  
Crossing her arms in an rebellious gesture she replied, " Do you actually think a slayer had gotten me? I'm second best to Leader."  
  
Irvine 'hmphed' and rolled his visible eye, " Little cock-sure of yourself aren't you?"  
  
The corners of her mouth twitched into a barely conceivable smile at the comment. " Glad to know I was missed. I'll be in my room."  
  
"Storm!" Irvine yelled behind her and she turned around with unnatural speed but just as his fist connected with her cheek as she did so since she had not brought up her hand to block. She staggered back, hand to her cheek. Irvine said in a voice that sounded almost strangled but low, " You should have been faster. A slayer would have killed you." And then he turned away and started to walk off.  
  
"Irvine.?" He turned his head so that she could see only one side of his face and she was given a hard glance but she saw a glint of comradeship and of a begging for forgiveness.and something she could not discern.  
  
* * *  
  
Tired and baggy-eyed, Storm walked out of her room, heading towards Irvine's. She. Was. Pissed. But, she had spent half the night speculating on what she was going to do about it. He had had a point but.it was unfair and it was now. Her. Payback.  
  
Coming to the door she pushed it open huffily, determined, and then.utterly shocked. There Irvine stood, broad back turned to her, welts.no, long scars going down his back from his shoulder blades to the beginning of his pants, the skin glinting from the single lamps light, water dripping from his now flattened hair, it weighted down from the amount of water soaked in the strands.  
  
Muscles rippled under the tan skin of his shoulders and arms as he pulled his shirt over his head and buckled the clasps. And as soon as it was settled, the spell of her entrancement seemed to be broken and Storm blinked and turned to go out the door. "Storm? What are you doing here?" Said the gruff voice.  
  
Freezing, Storm came to a stop right in the thresh hold of the door and replied as if she was a mile away, her voice containing nothing of the confidence and well-placed superiority it usually held, only but the voice of a lost child, "I came.to give you a piece of my mind.And.I changed it." And then she walked off.  
  
Irvine's hand on her shoulder stopped her once again and she turned around to see a serious face she had never seen on his usually smiling one. "You did, huh? Well, I should be apologizing for that. Sorry, Storm." Then his usual charming, but 'I'm a bad-ass dude, don't mess with me' smile returned, all traces of seriousness gone. " I'll even walk to.er.where ever you're going out of the goodness of my heart."  
  
Swiping away his hand, she smiled wearily. " I do believe there is goodness in your heart but I don't think I want to trust my assumption. I'm going back to bed."  
  
He scratched his neck in question. "Why?"  
  
Not wanting to seem weak she shrugged. "I'm still tired. You have a problem with that?"  
  
"No."  
  
Turning to walk away she heard him say, " I would never mess with someone with something up their ass."  
  
Storm snapped her head back to regard him with a cold eye, " Oh, and by the way, keep on using that soap. It makes you smell like a wonderful flower. I'm sure any victims you take will just flock to you." She stifled a hearty giggle as she caught a glimpse of red.  
  
Hearing a chuckle, she looked in front of her. Leader stood there. "I am glad to see you two are hitting it off so well."  
  
"Yes, well."Storm cleared her throat and walked past him hurriedly.  
  
* * * 


End file.
